Sepultura
Encyclopedia
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal
band from Belo Horizonte
, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal
, thrash metal
and ultimately groove metal
realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal
, hardcore punk
and industrial
.
Sepultura have released 12 studio albums so far, the latest being Kairos
(2011). Their most successful records are Arise (1991), Chaos A.D. (1993), and Roots (1996). Sepultura has sold over 3 million units in the USA and almost 20 million worldwide, gaining multiple gold
and platinum
records across the globe, including in countries as diverse as France
, Australia
, Indonesia
, United States
, Cyprus
and their native Brazil
.
, the capital city of Minas Gerais
, Brazil. The band was founded by teen brothers Max
and Igor Cavalera
, the impoverished sons of Vânia, a model, and Graciliano, a well-to-do Italian diplomat
whose fatal heart attack left his family in financial ruin. Graciliano's death deeply affected his sons, inspiring them to form a band after Max heard the album Black Sabbath Vol. 4 the very same day. They chose the band name Sepultura, the Portuguese word for "grave," when Max translated the lyrics of the Motörhead song "Dancing on Your Grave".
The brothers' early influences included Led Zeppelin
, Black Sabbath
and Deep Purple
, and the popular metal and hard rock artists of the early 1980s, such as Van Halen
, Iron Maiden
, Motörhead, AC/DC
, Judas Priest
and Ozzy Osbourne
. They would travel to a record shop in São Paulo
that mixed tapes of the latest records by American bands. Their listening habits changed dramatically after being introduced to Venom
. As Igor Cavalera put it:
The Cavalera brothers started listening to bands such as Kreator
, Sodom
, Megadeth
, Exodus
and Exciter
. By 1984, they had dropped out of school. After several early membership changes, Sepultura established a stable lineup of Max on guitar, Igor on drums, vocalist Wagner Lamounier
, and bassist Paulo Jr.
Lamounier departed in March 1985 after disagreements with the band, and moved on to become the leader of the pioneering Brazilian black metal
band Sarcófago
. After his departure, Max took over the vocal duties. Jairo Guedes was invited to join the band as lead guitarist.
, a shared EP with fellow Brazilian band Overdose. It was self-produced and recorded in just two days. The band recorded their first debut full-length album, Morbid Visions
, in August 1986. It contained their first hit, "Troops of Doom," which gained some media attention. The band then decided to relocate to the larger city of São Paulo. It was initially released in the United States on New Renaissance Records
, a record label owned by singer Ann Boleyn
.
-based guitarist Andreas Kisser
, and they released their second studio album, Schizophrenia, in 1987. The album reflected a stylistic change towards a more thrash metal-oriented sound, while still keeping the death metal elements of Morbid Visions. Schizophrenia was an improvement in production and performance, and became a minor critical sensation across Europe and America as a much sought-after import. The band sent tapes to America that made radio playlists at a time when they were struggling to book gigs because club owners were afraid to book them due to their style. The band gained attention from Roadrunner Records
who signed them and released Schizophrenia internationally before seeing the band perform in person.
The band's third studio album, Beneath the Remains
, was released in 1989. The album was recorded in a rustic studio in Rio de Janeiro while the band communicated through translators with the American producer Scott Burns
. It was an immediate success and became known in thrash metal circles as a classic on the order of Slayer's Reign in Blood
. It is hailed by Terrorizer magazine as one of the all-time top 20 thrash metal albums, as well as a gaining a place in their all-time top 40 death metal records. Allmusic gave the album 4.5 stars out of 5 and said, "The complete absence of filler here makes this one of the most essential death/thrash metal albums of all time." A long European and American tour furthered the band's reputation, despite the fact that they were still very limited English speakers. Their first US show was held on October 31, 1989 at the Ritz
in New York City, opening for Danish heavy metal band King Diamond
. The band filmed its first video for the single "Inner Self".
In January 1989 Sepultura played for more than 100,000 people at the Rock in Rio
II festival. The band relocated from their native Brazil to Phoenix
, Arizona
in 1990, obtained new management, and recorded the album Arise at Morrisound Studios
in Tampa, Florida. By the time the album was released in 1991, the band had become one of the most critically praised thrash/death metal bands of the time. The first single "Dead Embryonic Cells
" was a success, and the title track gained additional attention when its video was banned by MTV America due to its apocalyptic religious imagery. The album was critically acclaimed and their first to chart on the Billboard 200
, reaching #119.
Max Cavalera married the band's manager, Gloria Bujnowski, during this period. In 1992, Sepultura was part of two major tours: Helmet
/Ministry
and Alice in Chains
/Ozzy Osbourne
. Reflecting on their past in Brazil at the time, Max Cavalera said, "Traveling on trains. Getting beat up by cops. Sleeping behind the stage. It's part of growing up. It's part of the nature of this stuff. If you don't have that kind of background, you can't be a band like us."
and hardcore punk
. Allmusic gave the album 4.5 stars out of 5 and wrote that, "Chaos A.D. ranks as one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time." In 1994, Max and Igor, aided by Alex Newport of Fudge Tunnel
, released an even more industrial-oriented album, Point Blank, under the group name Nailbomb
. The group performed only one full live gig, and the performance was released as Proud to Commit Commercial Suicide
. The band also played selected tracks live on Sepultura's 1994 tour with Fudge Tunnel as guests.
Sepultura's departure from death and thrash metal continued with their sixth album, Roots, which was released in 1996. On this album the band experimented with elements of the music of Brazil's indigenous peoples, and adopted a slower, down-tuned sound. The album was hailed as a modern day heavy metal classic. Allmusic gave it 4.5 stars out of 5 and said, "Roots consolidates Sepultura's position as perhaps the most distinctive, original heavy metal band of the 1990s."
, Paradise Lost
, Type O Negative
, Biohazard
and Fear Factory
. The band was suddenly a three-piece with Andreas Kisser taking over on lead vocals, after Max Cavalera left the concert site earlier in the day upon learning of the murder of his stepson Dana Wells. Meanwhile, just after the release of Roots the band decided to fire their manager Gloria Bujnowski, who was Max's wife and Dana's mother. These events resulted in Max's departure from the band. For many years, the true reasons behind his departure remained unknown. Max ultimately left the band after a performance at Brixton Academy in England on December 16, 1996, and later formed a new band, Soulfly
. The remaining members of Sepultura announced that they would continue with a new lead vocalist. In 1996, Sepultura performed "War (Guerra)" for the AIDS
benefit album Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin
produced by the Red Hot Organization
.
In an interview with Faceculture in 2010, Max Cavelera explains that one of the reasons why he left Sepultura was because Andreas Kisser's wife attempted to arrange Dana Wells's funeral before Max and his wife Gloria Bujnowski could return home from England. Max later offered to allow Kisser and Paulo Jr. to be managed by someone else, while Max and Igor would retain Bujnowski as their manager, but Kisser rejected the plan. Max claimed in the interview that he regrets these events but a reunion is unlikely due to lingering disputes between him and Kisser.
from Cleveland
, Ohio
as their new front man. The first album with the new lineup was Against
, which was released in 1998. The album was critically and commercially less successful than previous albums and sold considerably fewer copies than the debut album
by Max Cavalera's new band Soulfly. Allmusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5, stating that "...there are enough flashes of the old Sepultura brilliance to suggest that great things are still to come."
The band's eighth album, Nation
, released in 2001, sold poorly. It would be their last studio album with Roadrunner Records. Allmusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5 and said, "As Green scrapes the lining of his vocal chords through the brash, impassioned tracks, he's singing about more than just 'one nation, Sepulnation'; he's suggesting something bigger, something worth shouting about and fighting for." In an interview, Derrick Green said that, "Every song will be related to the idea of building this nation. We will have our own flags, our own anthem." A recording of Max Cavalera's last live show with Sepultura, titled Under A Pale Grey Sky
, was released in 2002 by Roadrunner Records, against the wishes of the band.
After recording Revolusongs
, an EP of covers in 2002, the band released their ninth studio album, Roorback
, in 2003. Despite receiving greater critical acclaim than its predecessors, sales remained low. It was their first album with SPV Records
. Allmusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5 and said, "...if there are still any lingering doubts about the Green/Sepultura match, 2003's excellent Roorback should put them to rest for good. Green is passionate and focused throughout the album — he has no problem going that extra mile — and the writing is consistently strong." In 2005, the band played in Dubai
for the annual Dubai Desert Rock Festival
. In November of that year, a live double DVD
/double CD package, Live in São Paulo
, was released. This was the first live album from the band, but it is not considered "official" because it was not endorsed by the band.
, was released on March 14, 2006. It is a concept album
based on Dante
's The Divine Comedy
. Music videos were recorded for the songs "Convicted in Life" and "Ostia
". Allmusic gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5 and said that, "Overall, Dante XXI is easily one of Sepultura's strongest releases to feature Green on vocals."
In a 2007 interview with Revolver Magazine, Max Cavalera stated that he and Igor would reunite with the original Sepultura lineup. There were also rumors that the reunited line up would play on the main stage at Ozzfest 2007. However, this was denied by Kisser and the reunion did not occur. Instead, Igor Cavalera left the band after the release of Dante XXI and was replaced by Brazilian drummer Jean Dolabella. Igor left and formed Cavalera Conspiracy with his brother.
Sepultura appeared in a successful ad campaign for Volkswagen
motors commercial that aired nationally throughout Brazil in 2008. The spot said that “it’s the first time you’ve seen Sepultura like this. And a sedan like this one too”. The Volkswagen TV spot shows Sepultura playing Bossa Nova
, the opposite of its Heavy Metal style, to say that “you never saw something like this, as you never saw a car like the new Voyage”.
Sepultura released the album A-Lex
on 26 January 2009. This was the first Sepultura album to include neither of the Cavalera brothers, with bassist Paulo Jr. as the sole remaining member from the band's debut album. A-Lex is a concept album based on the book A Clockwork Orange
. The album was recorded at Trama Studios in São Paulo, Brazil, with producer Stanley Soares. Allmusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5 and said, "Personnel changes can have a very negative effect on a band, but Sepultura have maintained their vitality all these years — and that vitality is alive and well on the superb A-Lex."
The band was one of the featured musical guests at the Latin Grammy Awards of 2008
on November 13. They performed a cover of "The Girl from Ipanema
", and "We've Lost You" from the album A-Lex. The 9th annual Latin Grammy Awards
ceremony was held at the Toyota Center
in Houston, Texas
and aired on Univision
. Sepultura supported Metallica
on January 30 and January 31, 2010 at Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo, Brazil. The two concerts were attended by 100,000 people. The band filmed a concert DVD in 2010. Sepultura played at Kucukciftlik Park, Istanbul
, on April 27, 2010. On August 8, 2010 visited the UK to play at the Hevy Music Festival
near Folkestone
.
, and would release their first album for the label in 2011. The band confirmed that there will be no reunion of the classic lineup. By the end of 2010, the band began writing new material and entered the studio to begin recording their 12th album with producer Roy Z
(Judas Priest
, Halford
, Iron Maiden
's Bruce Dickinson
, Helloween
). On March 1, 2011, Sepultura had completed recording their new album, entitled Kairos
, which was released in June 2011.
The album includes cover versions of Ministry
's "Just One Fix
" and The Prodigy
's "Firestarter
", both of which are available as bonus tracks on various special-edition releases. Sepultura are currently on the Kairos World Tour and played at Wacken Open Air
2011. Dolabella left in 2011 to be replaced by 20 year old Eloy Casagrande in November 2011.
Sepultura's music has been described as
death metal
,
thrash metal
,
groove metal
,
alternative metal
,
black metal
,
doom metal
and speed metal
. The group have been credited by some and praised by others for setting the blueprints for metalcore
and nu metal
.
Former
Touring
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
, thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
and ultimately groove metal
Groove metal
Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It was often used to describe Pantera and Exhorder.- Characteristics and origins :Pantera's Cowboys from Hell album from 1990 was described as "groundbreaking" and "blueprint-defining" for the groove metal genre...
realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
, hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
.
Sepultura have released 12 studio albums so far, the latest being Kairos
Kairos (Sepultura album)
Kairos is the 12th studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. It was released on June 24, 2011 by independent German record label Nuclear Blast Records...
(2011). Their most successful records are Arise (1991), Chaos A.D. (1993), and Roots (1996). Sepultura has sold over 3 million units in the USA and almost 20 million worldwide, gaining multiple gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
and platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
records across the globe, including in countries as diverse as France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and their native Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Cavalera era
Sepultura was formed in 1984 in Belo HorizonteBelo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
, the capital city of Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, Brazil. The band was founded by teen brothers Max
Max Cavalera
Massimiliano Antonio "Max" Cavalera is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the heavy metal band Sepultura, before forming Soulfly in the late 1990s...
and Igor Cavalera
Igor Cavalera
Igor Graziano Cavalera is a Brazilian musician. He is best known as the former drummer for Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura.-Biography:...
, the impoverished sons of Vânia, a model, and Graciliano, a well-to-do Italian diplomat
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
whose fatal heart attack left his family in financial ruin. Graciliano's death deeply affected his sons, inspiring them to form a band after Max heard the album Black Sabbath Vol. 4 the very same day. They chose the band name Sepultura, the Portuguese word for "grave," when Max translated the lyrics of the Motörhead song "Dancing on Your Grave".
The brothers' early influences included Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, and the popular metal and hard rock artists of the early 1980s, such as Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Motörhead, AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
and Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
. They would travel to a record shop in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
that mixed tapes of the latest records by American bands. Their listening habits changed dramatically after being introduced to Venom
Venom (band)
Venom are an English heavy metal band that formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal —are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general...
. As Igor Cavalera put it:
The Cavalera brothers started listening to bands such as Kreator
Kreator
Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany, formed in 1978, but formalized in 1982 under the name Tormentor. They originally performed a speed metal style with Venom influences. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal...
, Sodom
Sodom (band)
Sodom is a German Thrash metal trio from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981.Along with the bands Kreator and Destruction, Sodom is considered one of the "big three" of Teutonic thrash metal...
, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, Exodus
Exodus (band)
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
and Exciter
Exciter (band)
Exciter is a Canadian speed metal band from Ottawa, Ontario. They are widely considered to be one of the first speed metal bands and a seminal influence of the thrash metal genre. Exciter have sold nearly 2.3 million units in the USA and a total sells at 10 million units worldwide...
. By 1984, they had dropped out of school. After several early membership changes, Sepultura established a stable lineup of Max on guitar, Igor on drums, vocalist Wagner Lamounier
Wagner Lamounier
Wagner Moura Lamounier is a Brazilian economist and musician who achieved fame for having been a former vocalist of Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, and for having created and led the extreme metal band Sarcófago from 1985 until it disbanded in 2000....
, and bassist Paulo Jr.
Paulo Jr.
Paulo Jr. is the bassist and the only remaining original member of the Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura.-Life and work:...
Lamounier departed in March 1985 after disagreements with the band, and moved on to become the leader of the pioneering Brazilian black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Sarcófago
Sarcófago
Sarcófago was an influential Brazilian extreme metal band. They were fronted by Sepultura's original singer, Wagner Lamounier, and Geraldo Minelli. They have been described as Brazil's most controversial metal band....
. After his departure, Max took over the vocal duties. Jairo Guedes was invited to join the band as lead guitarist.
Bestial Devastation and Morbid Visions (1984–1986)
After about a year of performing, Sepultura signed to Cogumelo Records in 1985. Later that year, they released Bestial DevastationBestial Devastation
Bestial Devastation is an EP by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1985 through Cogumelo Records. It is their first official release, and originally appeared alongside Overdose's Século XX as a split album...
, a shared EP with fellow Brazilian band Overdose. It was self-produced and recorded in just two days. The band recorded their first debut full-length album, Morbid Visions
Morbid Visions
Morbid Visions is the debut album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1986 through Cogumelo Records.While later albums have a more political edge, Morbid Visions is notable for "Satanic" themes...
, in August 1986. It contained their first hit, "Troops of Doom," which gained some media attention. The band then decided to relocate to the larger city of São Paulo. It was initially released in the United States on New Renaissance Records
New Renaissance Records
New Renaissance Records is an American record label founded in 1984 by Ann Boleyn, who also is the lead singer of the group Hellion and is credited for coining the term speed metal.-History:...
, a record label owned by singer Ann Boleyn
Ann Boleyn (singer)
Ann Boleyn is a recording artist and performer from the United States. Arguably she is responsible for coining the term speed metal. She also is credited for developing the careers of many international recording artists through New Renaissance Records, the record label she founded.-Career:Boleyn...
.
Schizophrenia, Beneath the Remains and Arise (1987–1992)
In early 1987, Jairo Guedes quit the band after losing interest in playing death metal. Jairo was replaced by São PauloSão Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
-based guitarist Andreas Kisser
Andreas Kisser
Andreas Rudolf Kisser is the lead guitarist for the metal band Sepultura as well as the rock supergroup HAIL!-Biography:...
, and they released their second studio album, Schizophrenia, in 1987. The album reflected a stylistic change towards a more thrash metal-oriented sound, while still keeping the death metal elements of Morbid Visions. Schizophrenia was an improvement in production and performance, and became a minor critical sensation across Europe and America as a much sought-after import. The band sent tapes to America that made radio playlists at a time when they were struggling to book gigs because club owners were afraid to book them due to their style. The band gained attention from Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
who signed them and released Schizophrenia internationally before seeing the band perform in person.
The band's third studio album, Beneath the Remains
Beneath the Remains
Beneath the Remains is the third studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1989. It was their first release through Roadrunner Records.-Overview:...
, was released in 1989. The album was recorded in a rustic studio in Rio de Janeiro while the band communicated through translators with the American producer Scott Burns
Scott Burns (producer)
Scott Burns is an American computer engineer and an ex-music producer of death metal music, resident at Morrisound Recording studio in Tampa, Florida in late 1980s and 1990s.-Biography:...
. It was an immediate success and became known in thrash metal circles as a classic on the order of Slayer's Reign in Blood
Reign in Blood
Reign in Blood is the third studio album and the major label debut by the American thrash metal band Slayer. It was released on October 7, 1986 through Def Jam Recordings. The album was the band's first collaboration with record producer Rick Rubin, whose input helped the band's sound evolve...
. It is hailed by Terrorizer magazine as one of the all-time top 20 thrash metal albums, as well as a gaining a place in their all-time top 40 death metal records. Allmusic gave the album 4.5 stars out of 5 and said, "The complete absence of filler here makes this one of the most essential death/thrash metal albums of all time." A long European and American tour furthered the band's reputation, despite the fact that they were still very limited English speakers. Their first US show was held on October 31, 1989 at the Ritz
Ritz (rock club)
-History:The Ritz was founded in 1980 by Jerry Brandt on 11th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues in the East Village neighborhood of New York City. Formerly a ballroom known as Webster Hall, The Ritz still retained some of its previous incarnation's Art Deco style. As a venue, it focused...
in New York City, opening for Danish heavy metal band King Diamond
King Diamond (band)
King Diamond is the heavy metal band that King Diamond formed after the split up of his heavy metal band Mercyful Fate, and the departure of Hank Shermann. He was joined by most members of the then defunct Mercyful Fate. The Satanic focus was replaced by a focus on horror stories...
. The band filmed its first video for the single "Inner Self".
In January 1989 Sepultura played for more than 100,000 people at the Rock in Rio
Rock in Rio
Rock in Rio is a series of music festivals held in three cities: Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Lisbon in Portugal and Madrid in Spain.Four incarnations of the festival were in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991, 2001 and 2011, four in Lisbon, in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, and two in Madrid in 2008 and 2010....
II festival. The band relocated from their native Brazil to Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
in 1990, obtained new management, and recorded the album Arise at Morrisound Studios
Morrisound Recording
Morrisound Recording is an audio recording facility in Temple Terrace, Florida, owned and operated by brothers Jim and Tom Morris. Since its opening in 1981, Morrisound has been responsible for the popularization of genres such as heavy metal and death metal, but of course caters to every genre of...
in Tampa, Florida. By the time the album was released in 1991, the band had become one of the most critically praised thrash/death metal bands of the time. The first single "Dead Embryonic Cells
Dead Embryonic Cells
"Dead Embryonic Cells" is Sepultura's second single, as well as the second of three to be released from the album Arise. A music video for the song was produced and can be found on the VHS release Third World Chaos, which itself was released on DVD as part of Chaos DVD...
" was a success, and the title track gained additional attention when its video was banned by MTV America due to its apocalyptic religious imagery. The album was critically acclaimed and their first to chart on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, reaching #119.
Max Cavalera married the band's manager, Gloria Bujnowski, during this period. In 1992, Sepultura was part of two major tours: Helmet
Helmet (band)
Helmet is an alternative metal band from New York City formed in 1989. Founded by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton, Helmet has had numerous lineup changes, and Hamilton has been the only constant member....
/Ministry
Ministry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
and Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
/Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
. Reflecting on their past in Brazil at the time, Max Cavalera said, "Traveling on trains. Getting beat up by cops. Sleeping behind the stage. It's part of growing up. It's part of the nature of this stuff. If you don't have that kind of background, you can't be a band like us."
Chaos A.D. and Roots (1993–1996)
Sepultura's fifth album, Chaos A.D., was released in 1993. It saw a departure from their death/thrash metal style, adding elements of industrialIndustrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
and hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
. Allmusic gave the album 4.5 stars out of 5 and wrote that, "Chaos A.D. ranks as one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time." In 1994, Max and Igor, aided by Alex Newport of Fudge Tunnel
Fudge Tunnel
Fudge Tunnel were a band formed in Nottingham, England by Alex Newport, David Ryley and Adrian Parkin. After two critically acclaimed singles on Pigboy Records , they signed to Nottingham's Earache Records...
, released an even more industrial-oriented album, Point Blank, under the group name Nailbomb
Nailbomb
Nailbomb was an industrial / thrash metal band. The band formed as side project by Brazilian musician Max Cavalera of Sepultura and Soulfly and English musician Alex Newport of Fudge Tunnel...
. The group performed only one full live gig, and the performance was released as Proud to Commit Commercial Suicide
Proud to Commit Commercial Suicide
Proud To Commit Commercial Suicide is the second and final album for thrash metal/industrial metal band Nailbomb and is a live recording capturing the band's appearance at the 1995 Dynamo Open Air Festival...
. The band also played selected tracks live on Sepultura's 1994 tour with Fudge Tunnel as guests.
Sepultura's departure from death and thrash metal continued with their sixth album, Roots, which was released in 1996. On this album the band experimented with elements of the music of Brazil's indigenous peoples, and adopted a slower, down-tuned sound. The album was hailed as a modern day heavy metal classic. Allmusic gave it 4.5 stars out of 5 and said, "Roots consolidates Sepultura's position as perhaps the most distinctive, original heavy metal band of the 1990s."
Departure of Max Cavalera (1996–1997)
In 1996, Sepultura played on the Castle Donington Monsters of Rock main stage alongside Ozzy OsbourneOzzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
, Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten books, with a total of over ten thousand individual lines of verse...
, Type O Negative
Type O Negative
Type O Negative was a gothic metal band from Brooklyn, New York City. The band also incorporated elements of doom metal and thrash metal. Their dramatic lyrical emphasis on themes of romance, depression, and death resulted in the nickname "The Drab Four"...
, Biohazard
Biohazard (band)
Biohazard is a band originally based in Brooklyn, New York. They are acknowledged as one of the earliest bands to fuse hardcore punk and heavy metal with elements of hip hop. The original lineup consisted of Vocalist/Guitarist Billy Graziadei, bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld, guitarist Bobby Hambel,...
and Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
. The band was suddenly a three-piece with Andreas Kisser taking over on lead vocals, after Max Cavalera left the concert site earlier in the day upon learning of the murder of his stepson Dana Wells. Meanwhile, just after the release of Roots the band decided to fire their manager Gloria Bujnowski, who was Max's wife and Dana's mother. These events resulted in Max's departure from the band. For many years, the true reasons behind his departure remained unknown. Max ultimately left the band after a performance at Brixton Academy in England on December 16, 1996, and later formed a new band, Soulfly
Soulfly
Soulfly is a heavy metal band formed in 1997 based in Phoenix, Arizona. The original lyrical content revolved around spirituality and religious themes, with later albums encompassing other themes including war, violence, aggression, hatred and anger. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max...
. The remaining members of Sepultura announced that they would continue with a new lead vocalist. In 1996, Sepultura performed "War (Guerra)" for the AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
benefit album Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin
Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin
Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin, the tenth entry in the Red Hot Benefit Series of compilation albums, takes a post-modern look at the contemporary rock en Español scene...
produced by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
.
In an interview with Faceculture in 2010, Max Cavelera explains that one of the reasons why he left Sepultura was because Andreas Kisser's wife attempted to arrange Dana Wells's funeral before Max and his wife Gloria Bujnowski could return home from England. Max later offered to allow Kisser and Paulo Jr. to be managed by someone else, while Max and Igor would retain Bujnowski as their manager, but Kisser rejected the plan. Max claimed in the interview that he regrets these events but a reunion is unlikely due to lingering disputes between him and Kisser.
Against, Nation and Roorback (1998–2005)
Sepultura chose American singer Derrick GreenDerrick Green
Derrick Leon Green is the frontman for the Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. Green joined Sepultura in 1997, when he replaced group founder Max Cavalera, who left the band. Allmusic said about the singer: "There was a time when the idea of Sepultura recording without Max Cavalera seemed...
from Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
as their new front man. The first album with the new lineup was Against
Against (album)
Against is the seventh studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1998 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's first release with new frontman Derrick Green, who replaced group founder Max Cavalera in 1997.- Album information :...
, which was released in 1998. The album was critically and commercially less successful than previous albums and sold considerably fewer copies than the debut album
Soulfly (album)
-Digipak Edition released on October 19, 1999 bonus disc track listing:-Roadrunner Records 25th Anniversary Reissue bonus disc track listing:The album was also released on August 30, 2005 as part of the Roadrunner Records 25th Anniversary Reissues with the Limited Edition bonus tracks and a new one...
by Max Cavalera's new band Soulfly. Allmusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5, stating that "...there are enough flashes of the old Sepultura brilliance to suggest that great things are still to come."
The band's eighth album, Nation
Nation (album)
Nation is the eighth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 2001 through Roadrunner Records. Nation features guest appearances from artists such as Hatebreed singer Jamey Jasta, Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, Ill Niño singer Cristian Machado, Bile frontman Krztoff and...
, released in 2001, sold poorly. It would be their last studio album with Roadrunner Records. Allmusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5 and said, "As Green scrapes the lining of his vocal chords through the brash, impassioned tracks, he's singing about more than just 'one nation, Sepulnation'; he's suggesting something bigger, something worth shouting about and fighting for." In an interview, Derrick Green said that, "Every song will be related to the idea of building this nation. We will have our own flags, our own anthem." A recording of Max Cavalera's last live show with Sepultura, titled Under A Pale Grey Sky
Under a Pale Grey Sky
Under a Pale Grey Sky is a live album by Sepultura, released September 24, 2002 through Roadrunner Records. The album was recorded in the Brixton Academy, London on December 16, 1996, the night that Max Cavalera left the band.-Album information:...
, was released in 2002 by Roadrunner Records, against the wishes of the band.
After recording Revolusongs
Revolusongs
Revolusongs is an EP of cover songs released by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura in 2003 through SPV Records. It was exclusively released in Brazil and Japan....
, an EP of covers in 2002, the band released their ninth studio album, Roorback
Roorback
Roorback is the ninth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 2003. It is their first release through SPV Records. The songs "Mindwar" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" were released as singles and music videos. The digipak version contains the Revolusongs EP and the video for...
, in 2003. Despite receiving greater critical acclaim than its predecessors, sales remained low. It was their first album with SPV Records
SPV GmbH
SPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....
. Allmusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5 and said, "...if there are still any lingering doubts about the Green/Sepultura match, 2003's excellent Roorback should put them to rest for good. Green is passionate and focused throughout the album — he has no problem going that extra mile — and the writing is consistently strong." In 2005, the band played in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
for the annual Dubai Desert Rock Festival
Dubai Desert Rock Festival
The Dubai Desert Rock Festival was an event celebrating various styles of rock and metal music on one stage in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. At the time, it was the only festival of its kind in the Middle East. As well as live music, extreme sports were also featured as crowd attractions...
. In November of that year, a live double DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
/double CD package, Live in São Paulo
Live in São Paulo
Live In São Paulo is the second live album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. All the tracks were recorded on April 3, 2005, at a concert in São Paulo, Brazil. A DVD of the same name was also filmed at the show....
, was released. This was the first live album from the band, but it is not considered "official" because it was not endorsed by the band.
Dante XXI and A-Lex (2006–2010)
Sepultura's tenth album, Dante XXIDante XXI
Dante XXI is the tenth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 2006 through SPV Records. It is a concept album based on the three sections of Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy; Inferno , Purgatorio and Paradiso .- Album information :Dante XXI was originally titled...
, was released on March 14, 2006. It is a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
based on Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
's The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321. It is widely considered the preeminent work of Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature...
. Music videos were recorded for the songs "Convicted in Life" and "Ostia
Ostia
Ostia may refer to:*Ostia , a municipio of Rome on the Tyrrhenian Sea coast*Ostia Antica, a township and port of ancient Rome*Ostia Antica , a district of the commune of Rome...
". Allmusic gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5 and said that, "Overall, Dante XXI is easily one of Sepultura's strongest releases to feature Green on vocals."
In a 2007 interview with Revolver Magazine, Max Cavalera stated that he and Igor would reunite with the original Sepultura lineup. There were also rumors that the reunited line up would play on the main stage at Ozzfest 2007. However, this was denied by Kisser and the reunion did not occur. Instead, Igor Cavalera left the band after the release of Dante XXI and was replaced by Brazilian drummer Jean Dolabella. Igor left and formed Cavalera Conspiracy with his brother.
Sepultura appeared in a successful ad campaign for Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
motors commercial that aired nationally throughout Brazil in 2008. The spot said that “it’s the first time you’ve seen Sepultura like this. And a sedan like this one too”. The Volkswagen TV spot shows Sepultura playing Bossa Nova
Bossa Nova
Bossa Nova may refer to:*Bossa nova, a style of music*Bossa Nova , a dance form associated with the music*Bossa Nova , a 2000 film*Bossa Nova - album by John Pizzarelli...
, the opposite of its Heavy Metal style, to say that “you never saw something like this, as you never saw a car like the new Voyage”.
Sepultura released the album A-Lex
A-Lex
A-Lex is the eleventh studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. It was released on 23 January 2009 by independent German record label Steamhammer Records...
on 26 January 2009. This was the first Sepultura album to include neither of the Cavalera brothers, with bassist Paulo Jr. as the sole remaining member from the band's debut album. A-Lex is a concept album based on the book A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange is a 1962 dystopian novella by Anthony Burgess. The novel contains an experiment in language: the characters often use an argot called "Nadsat", derived from Russian....
. The album was recorded at Trama Studios in São Paulo, Brazil, with producer Stanley Soares. Allmusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5 and said, "Personnel changes can have a very negative effect on a band, but Sepultura have maintained their vitality all these years — and that vitality is alive and well on the superb A-Lex."
The band was one of the featured musical guests at the Latin Grammy Awards of 2008
Latin Grammy Awards of 2008
The 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards took place on November 13, 2008 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas and were aired on Univision. The Brazilian Field awards were presented on the same day at the Ibirapuera Auditorium in São Paulo. The Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year was Gloria...
on November 13. They performed a cover of "The Girl from Ipanema
The Girl from Ipanema
"Garota de Ipanema" is a well-known bossa nova song, a worldwide hit in the mid-1960s that won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965. It was written in 1962, with music by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Portuguese lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes. English lyrics were written later by Norman Gimbel.The...
", and "We've Lost You" from the album A-Lex. The 9th annual Latin Grammy Awards
Latin Grammy Awards
A Latin Grammy Award is an accolade by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. Unlike the regular Grammy Award which primarily honors music produced in the United States, the Latin Grammy honors works produced anywhere around the...
ceremony was held at the Toyota Center
Toyota Center (Houston)
The Toyota Center is an indoor arena located in downtown Houston, Texas. It is named after the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The arena is home to the Rockets of the National Basketball Association, the principal owners of the building, and the Aeros of the American Hockey League.Rockets...
in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and aired on Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
. Sepultura supported Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
on January 30 and January 31, 2010 at Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo, Brazil. The two concerts were attended by 100,000 people. The band filmed a concert DVD in 2010. Sepultura played at Kucukciftlik Park, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, on April 27, 2010. On August 8, 2010 visited the UK to play at the Hevy Music Festival
Hevy Music Festival
Hevy Music Festival is a rock festival that takes place annually near Folkestone in the UK. It was originally held on 1 August 2009 on Folkestone seafront as a one-day festival with Feeder, Gary Numan and Ash as headliners. In 2010 it moved to Port Lympne Wild Animal Park and grew to a weekend...
near Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
.
Kairos and future (2010–present)
On July 6, 2010, it was announced that Sepultura were signed with Nuclear Blast RecordsNuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...
, and would release their first album for the label in 2011. The band confirmed that there will be no reunion of the classic lineup. By the end of 2010, the band began writing new material and entered the studio to begin recording their 12th album with producer Roy Z
Roy Z
Roy Z is a guitarist, songwriter and producer known for his work with Bruce Dickinson , Rob Halford and Judas Priest. He also is the founder of Tribe of Gypsies, a hard rock band with Latin influences.-Biography:...
(Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
, Halford
Halford (band)
Halford is a heavy metal band formed in 1999 by Rob Halford, the lead vocalist for Judas Priest. Halford formed the band to return to his heavy metal roots...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
, Helloween
Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
). On March 1, 2011, Sepultura had completed recording their new album, entitled Kairos
Kairos (Sepultura album)
Kairos is the 12th studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. It was released on June 24, 2011 by independent German record label Nuclear Blast Records...
, which was released in June 2011.
The album includes cover versions of Ministry
Ministry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
's "Just One Fix
Just One Fix
-Ministry:*Al Jourgensen – vocals , guitar, programming, production*Paul Barker – bass guitar, programming, production-Additional Personnel:*Bill Rieflin – drums*Mike Scaccia – guitar*Michael Balch – programming*William S...
" and The Prodigy
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
's "Firestarter
Firestarter (song)
"Firestarter" is a song by the English band The Prodigy, released on 18 March 1996. It was the first single from their third album The Fat of the Land, and their tenth single. It was also the group's first number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, staying on top for three weeks...
", both of which are available as bonus tracks on various special-edition releases. Sepultura are currently on the Kairos World Tour and played at Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
2011. Dolabella left in 2011 to be replaced by 20 year old Eloy Casagrande in November 2011.
Musical style
MTV has called Sepultura the most successful Brazilian heavy metal band in history and "perhaps the most important heavy metal band of the '90s". In 1993, one reporter wrote that the band played "machine-gun-tempo mayhem" but that the members "love to attack organized religion and repressive government".Sepultura's music has been described as
death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
,
thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
,
groove metal
Groove metal
Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It was often used to describe Pantera and Exhorder.- Characteristics and origins :Pantera's Cowboys from Hell album from 1990 was described as "groundbreaking" and "blueprint-defining" for the groove metal genre...
,
alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
,
black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
,
doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
and speed metal
Speed metal
Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
. The group have been credited by some and praised by others for setting the blueprints for metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
and nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
.
Band members
Current- Paulo Jr.Paulo Jr.Paulo Jr. is the bassist and the only remaining original member of the Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura.-Life and work:...
– bass (1984–present), backing vocals (2011–present) - Andreas KisserAndreas KisserAndreas Rudolf Kisser is the lead guitarist for the metal band Sepultura as well as the rock supergroup HAIL!-Biography:...
– lead guitar, backing vocals (1987–present) - Derrick GreenDerrick GreenDerrick Leon Green is the frontman for the Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. Green joined Sepultura in 1997, when he replaced group founder Max Cavalera, who left the band. Allmusic said about the singer: "There was a time when the idea of Sepultura recording without Max Cavalera seemed...
– lead vocals, occasional rhythm guitar (1997–present) - Eloy Casagrande – drums, percussion (2011–present)
Former
- Max CavaleraMax CavaleraMassimiliano Antonio "Max" Cavalera is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the heavy metal band Sepultura, before forming Soulfly in the late 1990s...
– lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1985–1997), lead guitar (1984–1985) - Igor CavaleraIgor CavaleraIgor Graziano Cavalera is a Brazilian musician. He is best known as the former drummer for Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura.-Biography:...
– drums, percussion (1984–2006) - Jairo Guedes – lead guitar (1984–1987)
- Wagner LamounierWagner LamounierWagner Moura Lamounier is a Brazilian economist and musician who achieved fame for having been a former vocalist of Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, and for having created and led the extreme metal band Sarcófago from 1985 until it disbanded in 2000....
– vocals (1984–1985) - Jean DolabellaJean DolabellaJean Dolabella is the former drummer of Brazilian thrash metal band Sepultura. He is also involved with Iron Maiden's Paul Di'Anno in his side project RockFellas.- Biography :...
– drums, percussion (2006–2011)
Touring
- Roy MayorgaRoy MayorgaRoy Maurice Mayorga is the drummer for the hard rock band Stone Sour. He is of Ecuadorian and Cuban descent.-Musical history:...
– drums, percussion (2006) - Almilcar Cristófaro – drums (2011)
Discography
Studio albums- Morbid VisionsMorbid VisionsMorbid Visions is the debut album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1986 through Cogumelo Records.While later albums have a more political edge, Morbid Visions is notable for "Satanic" themes...
(1986) - Schizophrenia (1987)
- Beneath the RemainsBeneath the RemainsBeneath the Remains is the third studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1989. It was their first release through Roadrunner Records.-Overview:...
(1989) - Arise (1991)
- Chaos A.D. (1993)
- Roots (1996)
- AgainstAgainst (album)Against is the seventh studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1998 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's first release with new frontman Derrick Green, who replaced group founder Max Cavalera in 1997.- Album information :...
(1998) - NationNation (album)Nation is the eighth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 2001 through Roadrunner Records. Nation features guest appearances from artists such as Hatebreed singer Jamey Jasta, Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, Ill Niño singer Cristian Machado, Bile frontman Krztoff and...
(2001) - RoorbackRoorbackRoorback is the ninth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 2003. It is their first release through SPV Records. The songs "Mindwar" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" were released as singles and music videos. The digipak version contains the Revolusongs EP and the video for...
(2003) - Dante XXIDante XXIDante XXI is the tenth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 2006 through SPV Records. It is a concept album based on the three sections of Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy; Inferno , Purgatorio and Paradiso .- Album information :Dante XXI was originally titled...
(2006) - A-LexA-LexA-Lex is the eleventh studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. It was released on 23 January 2009 by independent German record label Steamhammer Records...
(2009) - KairosKairos (Sepultura album)Kairos is the 12th studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. It was released on June 24, 2011 by independent German record label Nuclear Blast Records...
(2011)